Nigeria this morning lost an illustrious son and distinguished journalist, Pini Jason.

The veteran columnist with Vanguard newspaper and former Publisher of the defunct Examiner newspaper died following complications after a surgery necessitated by abdominal problems, News Express learnt.

The surgery, done in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, “was successful but he developed complications this morning and died,” his close friend Kanayo Esinulo told News Express.

Born on December 30, 1947, Chief Pini Jason Onyegbadue left the industry he loved so much in 2007 to serve his state Imo in Nigeria’s South-East as Special Adviser to then Governor Ikedi Ohakim but later left and returned to his journalism practice.

News Express learnt that he died in his house in Yaba, Lagos, and that his body has been deposited at Yaba General Hospital.

•Photo: Late Pini Jason.